


Five Times Dan Dreiberg Spoke To Adrian Veidt Again

by muzivitch



Category: Watchmen (2009)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-05-14
Updated: 2009-05-14
Packaged: 2017-10-18 10:26:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/187936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/muzivitch/pseuds/muzivitch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Because there is no fanfic trend that I can resist, and this was the plotbunny from hell.</p>
    </blockquote>





	Five Times Dan Dreiberg Spoke To Adrian Veidt Again

**Author's Note:**

> Because there is no fanfic trend that I can resist, and this was the plotbunny from hell.

_**[Fic] Five Times Dan Dreiberg Spoke To Adrian Veidt Again | Watchmen,VeidtOwl. R-ish.**_  
Title: Five Times Dan Dreiberg Spoke To Adrian Veidt Again  
Series: Watchmen  
Pairings: Adrian/Dan; Dan/Laurie  
Rating: R  
Length: 1342 words  
Notes: Because there is no fanfic trend that I can resist, and this was the plotbunny from hell.

  
_1._

He doesn't see Daniel Dreiberg for three months after Karnak, and when he does, it's in the most unexpected of places: his own conference room, in Veidt tower, and Dan is giving a presentation. The financial markets collapsed - he'd expected that, but not the extent of it - and he's heard that the executives at Dreiberg-Safire had finally approached the former CEO's son, brought him in to take advantage of his _friendship_ with Adrian Veidt and get Veidt Enterprises' assistance in weathering the storm. But that had been two months ago, Adrian thinks, steepling his hands together as Dan gestures at his presentation board, his expression only looking stiff if you know him. Dan didn't want to be there, Adrian muses; not surprising, he'd expected to never see him again after the events of November 5th.

But he certainly does not regret that they've been brought together again.

"Dreiberg-Safire is in better shape than most of the banks," he says as Dan breaks for breath. "You must have done a lot of work to get it to this point." More than he would have had to at any of the other investment firms, Adrian thinks; Dreiberg-Safire was in trouble even before the markets collapsed. Management had been bad for years. Things had to have been in abysmal shape when Dan had stepped in.

"I think that it would be an excellent investment for Veidt Enterprises," he continues. "It will only thrive when the economy recovers."

Dan gifts him with his first real smile since stepping into the conference room, and he speaks to him rather than at him. "Thank you," he says.

Adrian smiles back.

 _2._

Daniel Dreiberg is drunk, Adrian Veidt thinks as he slips carefully onto the barstool next to him. Normally, this would be a cause for concern; Dan never drank much, not even when they were young - he'd once told Adrian that he disliked feeling like he had no control. But Adrian's drunk too, and he can't bring himself to care that much.

Dan looks at him. "Scotch?" he says. "I bought the bottle, and probably shouldn't drink the whole thing by myself."

"No, I wouldn't want you to do that," Adrian said, the sharp edge of his accent coming out as the alcohol he'd already consumed started hitting his bloodstream. He slides his highball over to Dan and watches as he pours the amber-gold liquor into the glass before sliding it back across the bar. Adrian lifts it, taking a deep drink and letting it burn down his throat.

Later, when he pushes Dan against a rough brick wall in an alley, kisses him hard and sloppily, the other man tastes like Johnnie Walker and smoke and something familiar that has to be Dan himself. As his fingers dig into Dan's slippery dark hair, Adrian thinks that perhaps he's been a little lonely lately.

But only a little.

 _3._

 __Adrian has a bad moment when he reads about Laurie's death, the victim of one of the many muggers that still litter New York's streets, even six months after he made the sacrifice that was supposed to fix it all. This wasn't the way it was supposed to go, he thinks. The world _is_ better that it was, but it's not good enough.

He goes to the funeral, even though he doesn't know what to say and doesn't know what Dan will say to him. Maybe nothing, he thinks with a slight smile. That would be like Daniel.

But he is surprised. When the funeral ends and the rain is pouring down on both of them - he doesn't remember the last funeral he went to under sunny skies, and he supposes that's appropriate - Dan turns to him. His blue eyes are somehow both wounded and frozen, but when he speaks the words are cool, perfectly polite.

"Thank you for coming, Adrian," he says, and then he turns and walks away, leaving Adrian with his lips parted on an answer.

But he doesn't know what that answer would have been. For once, he has no idea what to say.

 _4._

 __He calls the number every few months - when he needs to, when dealing with it all is getting to be too much - and the other man always comes. They don't speak, not when Adrian opens the door, not when Dan's lips press against his in a rough kiss, not when Dan pushes him onto his bed and Adrian's fingers tug on Dan's hair. Afterwards, Dan simply leaves without a word, and Adrian feels both calmer and curiously empty at the same time, but it's enough to give him something of a buffer again.

Then in December of 1986, Dan Dreiberg changes the rules.

"How long will we do this?" he asks, and his voice sounds tired in the dark room - tired enough that Adrian feels a flare of panic at the idea that the next time he calls, Dan will tell him no.

He's silent for a long moment, and then he speaks. "I don't know," he says. "Does it matter?"

Dan is quiet so long that Adrian thinks that he's not going to answer the question at all, but then he sighs, and Adrian hears the slight rustle of his silk sheets as Dan turns his head on the pillow. "I don't know," Dan admits, and Adrian breathes his own sigh.

It's only partially relieved.  
 _  
5._

 __He admits to himself that part - most - of the reason he chooses to attend the World Wildlife Fund's fundraiser that night is because he knows Dan Dreiberg is guaranteed to be there; he's been on the board for years, and is the organization's most vocal proponent of avian rescue efforts.

He can tell that Dan's startled when he comes through the door, but he quickly covers it with a carefully blank expression and turns back to the socialite he'd been charming out of a significant amount of money. Charming, Adrian thinks as he accepts a flute of champagne, is not a word one normally associates with Dan Dreiberg. Awkward, definitely, shy, certainly, unassuming, without a doubt, but charming - no. But it fits just as well as the others, Adrian muses as he sips the wine. When he'd wanted to, Daniel had always been able to be _very_ charming, whether he used it on a Park Avenue Princess _cum_ criminal while he waited for the police to get close enough to catch her, or when he used it on...well, him, in 1975 a mere two weeks before he'd unmasked, when Dan had come to him and convinced him to help with a particularly complicated case.

It's nearly an hour before Dan makes his way to his side, and Adrian is surprised when he does so; he'd fully expected the two of them to spend the evening carefully avoiding each other without seeming to.

It's 1987, and he hasn't seen Dan Dreiberg for almost exactly two years.

"Adrian," Dan says, his voice guarded, his hands slipping into the pockets of his tuxedo. "I didn't know to expect you here tonight."

Adrian's lips twist into a smile and he inclines his head as he takes another sip of champagne. "It was my most interesting invitation for the evening," his says truthfully. "And a worthy cause. I'm sure you agree."

"Of course," Dan says, his voice still nothing more than polite. Then he draws in a deep breath, as if gathering himself, and his eyes flick down Adrian's front, pausing on the amythyst studs holding his snowy tuxedo shirt closed. "Always have to wear _something_ purple, don't you?"

Adrian laughs; it's a relieved sound in the crowded room. "Of course," he says, echoing Dan's words, and his smile widens, becomes more genuine.

"So," he says, "am I saving the world this evening?" Then he stills as the unfortunate words echo between them, as Dan's eyes darken suddenly. There's a long moment of silence, and then Dan smiles at him.

"No," he says. "Not the world. Just the spotted owl."

  



End file.
